Dispensing device for cartons



April 26, 1938. R. c. MITCHELL DISPENSING DEVICE FOR CARTONS Filed June 1, 1936 mm Dobevt C. Mitchell wgm 1'.

Patented Apr. 26 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE msrnnsmo DEVICE Fon CARTONS Robert 0. Mitchell, near Edmonds, Wash.

Application June 1, 1936, Serial No. 82,836

15 Claims.

My invention relates to the dispensing of materials from cartons; for example, for dispensing same having an apertured cover plate through which the material may be poured, and further,

it concerns the employment, in conjunction with Such-cartons are usually opened by tearing oil.

the cover fiap, which is glued down, or cutting a hole in a corner or in a'wall of the carton with a knife or like implement. In either such case the carton, after using some ofthe material, is set aside, and if it happens to be upset the material is likely to spill from the carton. Hence one of the objects of my invention'is to provide means which will make a hole in the carton, so that the material may be readily dispensed, but which has incorporated with it a valve which is normally held closed, so'that if the carton is accidentally upset the materialwill not spill therefrom.

It is a further object to provide a device of the nature indicated, which will positively move aside a tab. displacement of which forms the hole, preferably without detaching it from the wall of the carton, and which will hold it back out of the way so that there is a clear opening left for the emission of the material when desired. Associ-" ated with this object is the further object to provide in such a device a means for locking the device in its final place in the carton, and preferably to accomplish this locking automatically by the movement of the piercing device to its final position with relation to the carton.

It is a further object to provide such a device which shall be simple, convenient to use, without detachable parts, and in which the parts are so arranged that there is little likelihood of accidental movement of the valve means toward open position.

Other details, particularly such as relate to the mechanical structure of the device, will appear of the device, shown in place upon a carton, with parts broken away for better illustration.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the device, on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device, taken from the inside of the carton, showing the device locked in place within the carton.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device, with parts in about the position they would occupy when inserted within the carton.

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of the device.

Figure 6 is an elevation indicating the manner of using the device, and the preferred manner of securing the same within a carton.

It has not been attempted in the drawing to show the various folds of the carton, as these will varying in different cartons. 'It is preferred that the device be inserted in an upper corner of a.

sidewall of the carton, but when inserted the carton would normally be turned on its edge, so that the knife may be pressed downwardly, and hence in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 the top of the carton is indicated at 90, the side wall which is to be pierced at 9, and the front or back wall at 9|. For piercing the wall 9 a knife is provided which in cross section is substantially U-shaped, as is seen in Figure 3. Preferably it comprises a sheet I, the lower end of which is sharpened to a point, bent to form two side flanges Ill and II, the edges of which are also sharpened. To the opposite end of this knife is secured a cover plate, represnted in general by the numeral 2, which is preferably of composite construction, as will be described hereafter. Thiscover plate preferably extends outwardly somewhat from the outline of the knife I, II), II, -to provide flanges so that when it abuts the wall 9 these flanges will fit closely against the wall outside of the delivery aperture 20, and will prevent leakage of material.

When the knife is pressed into the wall 9, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, it will be observed that it cuts a tab 92 from the wall, and the pressure tends to move this tab inwardly. Means are associated with the knife to throw this tab 'backwardly, and in so doing these means serve to lock the knife in place within the carton. Thus a flap 3 is hing'edly mounted at 30 across the open end of the U formed by the knifes cross section adjacent the cover plate. A spring 3| acts upon the flap, urging it outwardly into the dash line position of Figure 2, or as shown in Figure 3.

Obviously the flap cannot enter the hole 93 left by the cutting away of the tab while in this outwardly thrown position, and to hold it within the outline of the U-shaped knife during its entry I may provide means such as a latch, as 4, piv'ote at 40 upon the knife, and spring held in engagement with the flap by the spring 4|. This latch, engaging the swinging edge of the flap, holds it in its full line position of Figure 2 until the cover 'plate is substantially in abutment with the wall 9.

Here it may be released, and preferably the releasing means are automatic. To that end I pro vide a. trigger 42 projecting through the wall of the knife plate I, for engagement with the edge of the hole 93 as it passes therethrough, this triggcr being formed as a part of the latch 4. When the trigger 42 is depressed by its engagement with the edge of the hole I! the latch 4 is released, and the flap hwhich by this time lies adjacent the originally outer face of the tab 82, is thrown back by the force of its spring ll to hold the flap into the dash line position of Figure 2, and this serves as a means of securing the knife and associated parts in the wall of the carton.

In addition the latch 42, after it has passed the edge of the hole 93, springs outward, and engages the inner face of the wall 9, serving as a further lock, as is apparent in Figure 2. The

knife and its associated parts are not intended to be removed until the material is completely dispensed and the carton is empty, but when this occurs the carton wall may be torn or otherwise forced to permit removal of the knife.

In order that accidental engagement of the tab 92 with the latch 4 may not release the latch, as the knife is being pressed into place, I prefer to employ a guard, indicated as the cross bar 5, located in advance of the flap 3, which guard upon engaging the tab will force it down into the interior of the carton, so that when the flap 3 enters the carton it will lie adjacent the inwardly folded fiap 92.

If it is not desired to employ the positive locking means the flap may still be held reasonably out of the way by the provision of a guard, such as is shown in Figure 5, in the form of a curved bar 50, which will engage the tab 92 and hold it downwardly into the interior of the carton, at an angle to the wall 9, as shown in dash lines in Figure 5. In this form reliance for holding the knife and associated parts in position is placed upon the frictional engagement of the knife with the walls of the carton. It will be noted that the walls of the knife are apertured, as in dicated at ii, to admit the last particles of the material within the carton to the space within the walls of the knife, so that there is not a pocket formed to retain any appreciable part of the material, when the carton'is nearly empty.

The cover plate 2 is preferably made up of two plates 2| and 22, slightly spaced apart to receive a valve plate 6 between them. The two plates are suitably apertured to provide the aperture 20 heretofore referred to, which in the final position of the knife and associated parts registers with the hole 93, and the valve plate 6 in its normal position covers the aperture 2. and closes it. The valve plate is pivotally mounted at 6. upon the cover plate, and is provided with a suitable finger-engaging plate 6| whereby it may be swung in opposition to a spring 62, which tends to hold it in closed position. The spring 62 is preferably enclosed within a recess between the plates 2| and 22, as is best seen in Figure 1, so that the entire device is compact and simple to construct and assemble.

As will now be apparent, the device is inserted, the flap 3 having first been thrown back in oppo sition to its spring 2| until it is engaged and held by the latch l, by pressing the knife I, II and II into the wall 9 of thecarton, the tab 52 being left hingedly attached along one edge, and being folded back by engagement with the guard 5. Finally,

as the cover plate 2 approaches the wall 9, the trigger 42 releases the flap, which by now is alongside the tab 92, and the spring 3| folds the two backward to lie adjacent the inner face of the wall 9, providing clear access to the hole 93, and locking the device in place, assisted also by the trigger 42. Now, whenever it is desired to dispense materials from within thecarton, it is raised, as indicated in Figure 6, the finger plate I is pressed inward in opposition to the spring 62, swinging the valve plate out of the way of the aperture 20, and permitting the material to be emitted through this aperture. when sufilcient material has been dispensed, the finger plate Si is released, and the spring 62 closes the valve plate 6, wiping off the surface and effecting a tight closure. If the package happens to be upset and falls, it is unlikely that it will fall insuch a manner or withsumcient force to move the valve plate 6, and the spring 62 may be made as strong as may be necessary in order to prevent this.

What I claim as my invention is: l r

1. A dispenser for cartons comprising a. knife shaped to cut a tab from the wall of the carton,.

as it enters, to leave the tab attached along one edge, means associated with and movable relative to the knife, after the latters insertion, to hold the tab back from its original position, and valve means carried by the knife, and when the latter is inserted controlling emission of materials through the hole left by the tab.

2. A dispenser'for cartons comprising a knife shaped to'cut a tab from the wall of the carton, as it enters, means associated with and movable relative to the knife, after the latters insertion, to secure the same in its final inserted position, and valve means carried by the knife, and when the latter is inserted controlling emission of, materials through the hole left by the tab.

3. A dispenser for cartons comprising an apertured cover plate, a knife projecting in a direction normal to the plane of the cover plate, and shaped to cut a tab from the wall of the carton, as it enters, means carried by and movable relative to the knife, after the latters insertion, to secure the cover plate in its final position, abutting the outer face ofthe carton, with its aperture registering with the hole formed by the cutting away of the tab, and valve means secured upon the cover plate and operable to control emission of materials through such hole and aperture.

4. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife of general U-shape formed to cut a tab from the.

wall of a carton, as it enters, to leave the tab attached along one edge, means associated with and movable relative to the knife, after the latters insertion, to hold the tab back from its originalposition, and a cover plate carried by the knife in position to abut the wall wherein the tab Bent, and having an aperture registering with the hole left by the cutting of the tab.

5. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife of general U-shape formed to cut a tab from the wall of a cart-on, as it enters, to leave the tab attached along one edge, means carried by the inserted part of the knife, and movable relative to the knife, after the latters insertion, to hold the tab back from its original position, a cover plate carried by the knife in position to abut the wall wherein the tab is cut, and having an aperture registering with the hole left by the cutting of the tab, and valve means carried by the cover plate and operable to control emission of materials through the hole and aperture.

6. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife shaped to cut a tab from the wall of the carton, as it enters, a flap carried by the knife, means to secure the flap in position to engage the originally outer face ofthe tab, during entrance of the knife, means to release the flap to fold the tab inward adjacent the inner face of the wall from which it was cut, and valve means carried by the knife, and when the latter is inserted controlling emission of materials through the hole left by the folded back tab.

7. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife formed of general U-shape to cut a tab from the wall of a carton, as it enters, to leave the tab attached along one edge, a cover plate carried by the knife in position to abut the wall wherein the tab is cut, a flap pivotally mounted on the knife along an axis disposed adjacent the cover plate and extending from one leg of the U across to the opposite leg, means to secure the flap in position to engage the originally outer face of the tab, during entrance of the knife, means to release the flap for outward swinging to fold the tab against the inner face of the wall from which it was cut, a spring urging the flap in such direction when released, and the cover plate having an aperture registering with the hole left by the tab.

8. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife shaped to cut a tab, attached along one edge, from the wall of the carton, as it enters, a flap pivotally mounted upon the knife, a spring urging the flap in the direction of the attached edge of the tab, latch means to hold the flap retracted within the outlines of the hole left by the tab, a guard carried by the knife, in advance of the flap, to fold the tab initially inward, whereby the retracted flap as it advances lies adjacent the originally outer face of the tab, means to release the flap to fold the tab, under the influence of the spring, from its initially inwardly'folded position to a position adjacent the inner face of the carton wall, and a cover plate carried by the knife in position to contact the outer face of the carton wall, and having an aperture registering with the hole left by the tab.

9. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife shaped to cut a tab from the wall of the carton, as it enters, a spring-pressed flap carried by the knife, means to latch the flap, against the force of its spring, in position to engage the originally outer face of the tab, during entrance of the knife and flap, means to release the flap, after it has entered the hole left by the tab, to fold the tab inward by the spring action of the flap, to a position adjacent the inner face of the wall from which it was cut, and valve means carried by the knife, and when the latter is inserted controlling emission of materialsthrough the hole in the carton wall. l

10. A dispenser for cartons comprising a knife shaped to cut a tab, attached along one edge, from the wall of the carton, as it enters, a flap carried by the knife, a spring urging the flap in the direction of the attached edge of the tab, latch means to hold the flap retracted withinthe outlines of the hole left by the tab, means carried by the knife and engageable with the carton, as the knife reaches its final inserted position, by such engagement to release the latch means, to urge the tab, under the influence of the flap and spring into a folded back position adjacent the cut a tab from the wall of a carton, as it enters to leave the tab attached along the edge corresponding to the open side of the U, a cover plate carried by the knife in position to finally abut the wall wherein the tab is cut, and apertured to reg ister with the hole left by the tab, a springurged flap pivoted on the knife along an axis extending transversely across the open end of the U, adjacent the cover plate, latch means to hold the flap, in opposition to its spring, within the outline of the hole left by the tab, a guard disposed in advance of the flap to initially bend the tab inward, whereby the flap may lie alongside the tab, and means operable by movement of the knife, as the cover plate reaches its final position, to release said latch means, whereby the flap, under the influence of its spring, folds the tab back against the inner face of a carton wall.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the latch-releasing means comprises a trigger pivotally mounted on the knife, and spring-held projecting in position to engage and be depressed for release by the cut edge of the hole in the carton,

and thereafter engaging the inner face of the carton wall to secure the knife and cover plate in position.

13. A dispenser for cartons comprising an apertured cover plate, a valve plate mounted on said cover plate and guided for movement in the latters plane to cover or uncover the aperture, a spring urging the valve plate towards closed position, a knife disposed at right angles to said cover plate to enter a carton, and means mounted upon and movable relative to the knife, after the latters entrance within the carton, to draw said cover plate inwardly to close contact with the outside of a carton wall, about the hole left therein by the entrance of the knife.

14. A dispenser for cartons comprising two apertured and slightly spaced plates, a valve plate received in such space for movement in its own plane to cover or uncover the aperture, a spring likewise received in such space and urging the valve plate towards closed position, and means carried by one of said plates to pierce a hole in a carton, in registry with said apertures, and means carried by the latter means, and disposed within the carton, when the latter is pierced, to create an inwardly directed force acting on said plates to draw and hold them in close contact with the outer surface of the pierced carton wall.

15. A dispenser for cartons comprising an apertured cover plate, carton piercing means associated therewith for cutting and enteringa hole in a. carton wall, and means carried by such piercing means, and disposed within the carton when the piercing means has entered the carton, for drawing the cover plate into abutting relation to such wall, with its aperture in registry with the hole, a valve plate pivotally mounted on said cover plate for movement in the plane of the latter, to open or close said aperture, and spring means urging the valve plate towards closed position.

ROBERT C. MITCHELL. 

